If you’ve been considering front-end engineering as a career option, then you’ve likely heard about Bootstrap and its multiple versions. Initially released in 2011 by Twitter developers Mark Otto and Jacob Thornton, Bootstrap has become one of the most popular CSS frameworks.

But what is Bootstrap, and why should you learn to use it? In this article, we’ll go through a brief overview of Bootstrap along with its strengths and weaknesses.

What is Bootstrap?

Bootstrap is an open-source framework used for creating responsive, mobile-first sites. We know that’s a mouthful, so let’s go through the parts of that definition one by one.

Bootstrap is open source

Bootstrap was initially created as an internal tool used by Twitter but quickly became open source (free and publicly available to use). Anyone can get Bootstrap for personal or commercial use.

Bootstrap is a framework

Part of designing a website is designing how different frames and menus are positioned on the page and in relation to each other. Take a look at the menu and panel layouts on this webpage. All of this is programmed using Cascading Style Sheets (CSS).

But what if you want to use the same basic website structure multiple times? After all, many company websites have the same basic layout: a sleek homepage with the main menu showing you products and services, more about the company, and some contact information. That’s where Bootstrap comes in.

As a framework, Bootstrap is a collection of pre-written code chunks in CSS, HTML, and JavaScript that allows developers to create websites more quickly than if they had to create every bit of code from scratch. Bootstrap saves developers time so that they can focus on other things rather than coding CSS.

Bootstrap helps you create responsive websites

Responsive websites are pages that easily adapt to different devices, platforms, and screen sizes. Whether you’re visiting a website on Chrome from your Android phone or your 27-inch iMac at home, you should see a version of the page with dimensions, buttons, and fonts that don’t look too big or too small.

This can be tricky to get right when you’re designing a website from scratch, and Bootstrap does a lot of the work here so that you don’t have to (more on this below).

What is Bootstrap 4?

Since its initial version in 2011, Bootstrap’s had several updates that added major features (such as navigation options). They’ve also added more browser support and changed some fundamental parts of the framework (such as switching from LESS to SASS for styling).

Bootstrap 4, which was finalized in 2018, is widely used today, and it’s the version we recommend learning to get started with Bootstrap.

The good news: advantages of Bootstrap

Now that you know what Bootstrap is and what it’s used for, let’s explore its major advantages.

Responsive grid

This is probably the biggest advantage of Bootstrap. A well-designed grid system is what makes web pages responsive across a variety of screen sizes.

As mentioned above, Bootstrap does all the work here by providing a mobile grid system that can adapt to any device and screen resolution. And, with Bootstrap, it’s easy to mark elements of your web page that are only visible to desktop, tablet, or mobile viewers.

Compatibility

Websites created with Bootstrap are compatible with all major browsers, including:

• Chrome
• Firefox
• Safari
• Edge
• IE10
• Opera

Bootstrap’s platform compatibility includes:

• Android
• iOS
• Windows 10 Mobile
• Mac
• Windows

This takes a lot of stress out of testing. If you don’t have access to a Windows phone, no more having to worry that there’ll be a compatibility problem with that one platform or browser.

Documentation

Open-source products are great, but what happens when you have a problem? Luckily, Bootstrap comes with comprehensive documentation, so it’s easy to look up how each bit of code works in detail. The documentation even includes samples of code, making it easier for beginners to pick up Bootstrap.

The bad news: disadvantages of Bootstrap

Now that you know about the power of Bootstrap, you might be wondering why more people and companies aren’t using it. Like all good things, you need to consider a couple of trade-offs before creating a website with Bootstrap.

Repetitive style

You might call Bootstrap a victim of its own success here. People everywhere are using Bootstrap to build their websites, which means that a lot of sites are built off the same template.

While it’s possible to customize your Bootstrap site, most people stick with the basic design layout. So, unless you’re willing to put in the extra time and effort to customize Bootstrap, keep in mind that your website will look just like a lot of existing websites.

Weight

While Bootstrap lets you easily build responsive sites, it’s not necessarily the most efficient option. In fact, Bootstrap websites are known to be resource-intensive, which means longer loading times and battery drain for anyone visiting your site.

It’s possible to use Bootstrap’s customization tools to eliminate code and functions that you don’t need, but this will take some time and Bootstrap expertise.

The takeaway: when to use Bootstrap

Bootstrap is a powerful tool that lets you quickly build attractive websites that look great on desktops, phones, and tablets. While there are some definite disadvantages to Bootstrap, in many cases, the benefits of website responsiveness, wide compatibility, and saved time will outweigh the cons. You can even eliminate the biggest drawbacks with a bit of extra time and effort.

If you’re considering a career as a Front-End Developer, you’ll definitely want to be familiar with Bootstrap. Because it’s so popular in web development, there’s a good chance it’ll be included in your future employer’s tech stack.

How to start learning Bootstrap

Bootstrap is a valuable skill to have as a Front-End Engineer. The best part about Bootstrap is that it builds on other front-end development skills such as CSS, HTML, and JavaScript. In fact, you can learn Bootstrap with our courses in just a few hours and start building your first Bootstrap website in no time at all.

Web Development Courses & Tutorials | Codecademy

Web Development is the practice of developing websites and web apps that live on the internet. Whether you’re interested in front-end, back-end, or going full-stack, the content in our Web Development domain will help you get there.

Mobile Development Courses & Tutorials | Codecademy

Every year more and more people rely on mobile devices to meet their needs. Where websites used to be the gold-standard, people now rely on mobile apps. The technologies used to create these apps are expanding and improving quickly, so it’s an exciting time to start learning Mobile Development!

When you take courses with us online, you use the text editor built into our platform. But once you move on to applying your programming skills to personal projects and work, you’ll need a text editor on your own computer. That’s where IDEs and code editors come into play.

In this article, we’ll explain what IDEs and code editors are and how they’re different. We’ll also help you get started with selecting the best option for your needs.

Below, we’ve listed some of the most popular IDEs and code editors that developers use and what makes each of them unique.

What are IDEs and code editors?

An IDE is an Integrated Development Environment. It’s a piece of software that allows developers to create, modify, and debug code easily. While some may require library extensions for certain programming languages, most of the common IDEs are ready to go, making it easy to catch potential syntax errors and bugs before you compile or run your code.

A code editor is a type of text editor with a few features that make it easy to write code. For example, code editors will automatically highlight words based on syntax and will automatically indent lines of code correctly. But, a code editor doesn’t have the debugging and autocomplete features that an IDE has.

Some developers prefer to start a program from scratch in a code editor. But others prefer an IDE when reviewing or modifying someone else’s code because it’s easier to debug.

4 common IDEs that developers use

If you’re looking to start with an IDE, you’ll have a little more help with debugging, syntax highlighting, and autocompletion features. If you’re starting on your own, without a large team of colleagues around you, an IDE can be a great way to increase the support you might need at the beginning. As you get more comfortable, IDEs will also help you increase your code creation and modification efficiency.

Here are four popular IDEs to consider:

1. Visual Studio Code

Microsoft’s Visual Studio Code is a text editor that can run on many different operating systems, including Windows, MacOSX, and Linux. Its interface is simple, with a panel on the left listing code versions and one in the middle where you type the code. It includes debugging features for many different programming languages.

This editor is a popular choice among developers, as an overwhelming 70% named it their favorite in Stack Overflow’s 2021 survey. It’s also free to download, making it an attractive option for new programmers to try.

2. IntelliJ IDEA

IntelliJ IDEA is a compact and “intelligent” IDE that provides suggestions to developers on how to improve their programs and makes it much faster for them to develop and debug. Features include version control, code analysis, and suggested code completion. Plus, you don’t need new plug-ins for additional languages.

IntelliJ isn’t free, like Visual Studio Code. Depending on the billing frequency you choose, it costs $499 per year or $49.90 per month. The price is steep, but many developers swear by this IDE as the key to their productivity. It’s most popular among developers who frequently use Java, even though it does support other languages.

3. Android Studio

If you’re interested in developing apps for Android devices, then the IDE you may want to focus on is Android Studio. Not only is it the recommended IDE for Android, but it also has some pretty neat features. You can lay out your app visually using Android Studio, and you can analyze APK files and view what your app will look like with an emulator feature.

The Android Studio is free to download, making it an obvious choice for Android developers. While this IDE also has an excellent code editor, it only provides code completion suggestions on the languages that Android requires (Java, C/C++, and Kotlin).

4. PyCharm

PyCharm is the IDE designed by developers for developers using Python. The IDE was created to keep Python code neat and tidy while boosting efficiency. It includes intelligent code completion and support for a few other languages, including JavaScript, CoffeeScript, TypeScript, and SQL, to name a few.

You can download a free community-level of PyCharm that will let you program in Python. But, if you want access to both Scientific and Web Python development, as well as support for HTML, SQL, and JavaScript, then you’ll have to pay for a license. Created by the same company that releases IntelliJ IDEA, the full version of PyCharm is slightly more affordable at $199 per year, or $19.90 per month.

4 common code editors for development

If you choose to go the route of code editor instead of IDE, below are four popular options with developers.

Keep in mind that there are more than four options out there, but this list will give you great, robust options with varying price points for you to choose from.

1. Sublime Text

Created by a former employee of Google, Sublime Text is a streamlined editor without many menus and windows. It can run on Windows, MacOSX, and Linux operating systems. Developers love Sublime Text’s syntax highlighting, fast load times, and updated autocomplete engine, which helps improve their efficiency.

Though there is a free trial version, you need to spend $99 on a licensing fee to unlock all Sublime Text’s power. If you don’t have much of a budget for a code editor, though, don’t worry. There are some great free options below.

2. Notepad++

The Notepad++ code editor works with a variety of programming languages, but it was designed using C++ and is often preferred when developing in the same language.

While it’s free to download, its use is limited to the Windows operating system.

3. Vim

Vim is a very popular code editor too. It’s included by default on UNIX and macOS operating systems as “vi.” So, if you program on a Mac or Linux, check to see if Vim is already installed. You’ll save yourself some time.

Developers use Vim because of its multi-level undo tree, fast loading times, and plenty of plug-ins for programming languages. Vim is also a free code editor, making it a great choice for anyone just getting started.

4. Atom

Last but not least is the Atom text editor. It’s an open-source option, which the company calls “hackable.” But what that also means is that it’s free for you to download and use.

On top of being cross-platform (macOS, Windows, and Linux), there are customization options and themes for developers along with the expected features, like autocompletion, find and replace, and multiple panes to compare code.

Ready to get started with IDEs and code editors? Start learning with us for free today!

What Is an IDE? | Codecademy

Learn about the Integrated Development Environment, an application that makes programming easier!

User interfaces (UIs) allow users to control the programs and applications they’re using and operate software on a computer, smartphone, or tablet (to name a few).

So, what, then, is UI design? It’s the art and science that determines how people can use technology to accomplish their goals. This field is rapidly advancing — interfaces can now be operated by voice or even hand gestures. Capabilities once unimaginable have become a reality.

A computer or device’s UI is like the dashboard, steering wheel, gearshift, and pedals on a car, all put together. Like how drivers need to operate all of these components together in order to drive, users use a UI’s various buttons, gestures, and commands to operate software. UI’s also include readouts that show you what’s happening in the program, just like a car’s dashboard.

Just as automotive technology is constantly evolving, so is the UI for smart devices. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at UI design, how it works, characteristics of good UI design, and more.

What to expect from your UI

Users’ interactions can now go well beyond a click or swipe. People can gesture or speak to interact with devices. You can even unlock your phone with an iris scan or open apps on your smartwatch by moving your hand or arm.

Overall, users have less and less tolerance for a text-heavy UI — especially on smaller devices. Poor UI leads to a poor user experience (UX), and many people flee at the sight of a poorly designed screen. As a result, many sites and apps invest a lot of time and effort into making their UI responsive with visually appealing and easy-to-use functions.

So, as a Software Developer or Designer, what should you know about UI design to make sure your work will resonate and succeed with your users?

Designing UI for humans

UI design is a cutting-edge discipline, but it still has rules and principles. UI Designers strive to make it easier for users to interact with software, reducing the need for complicated thought and understanding. They also ensure all the interfaces within a system or technology are consistent.

To give users the feeling of control, Adobe recommends including these capabilities:

• Make it easy for users to undo their actions.
• Make the interface easy to navigate, which includes providing visual cues and making the outcomes of specific buttons, clicks, or gestures predictable.
• Provide feedback for actions. For example, when a user presses a button, they should see a color change or hear a sound.
• Show a system’s status clearly. If a process takes time to complete, the user should see a bar or percentage readout showing the remaining time.
• Accommodate different skill levels. Your UI should be sophisticated enough to appeal to expert users, but you’ll still want to include help functions and guides for new users.

Along with the capabilities listed above, there are several other steps you can take to give your users a comfortable experience, such as:

• Cutting out unnecessary elements.
• Avoiding requiring re-entry of the same data.
• Using general terms rather than jargon.
• Making design elements equal in size to their importance in the application.
• Bringing real-world elements into a design wherever possible (e.g., a picture of a credit card where payment information is entered).
• Making error messages encouraging or pointing to helpful resources.

Creating good UI

Simplicity and consistency in UIs are also key to making a user experience comfortable. Apple products win praise for their ease of use because their UIs are often less complex than their competitors’. Consistency means that the UI should follow logical human assumptions. For example, you wouldn’t use a green stop button and a red go button for a timer.

UI elements also need to produce closure. When a button, gesture, or command starts a task, equivalent elements should finish or end that task. In other words, a task should produce an expected and desired result based on the expectations set by the command element.

For example, if you command Excel to add up all the numbers in a column, it should put the result in a cell at the bottom to complete the task.

When creating UIs, designers should be mindful of people’s capacities, such as how much information they can retain at a time. Taking “cognitive load” into account means:

• Requiring fewer steps to complete a task.
• Helping users operate systems by presenting a clear, uncluttered set of controls or buttons.
• Keeping buttons and controls (and the way they operate) functionally consistent to avoid over-taxing user’s minds. Buttons and controls should all work the same way, as with pull-down menus throughout a program.

Designers should look for the correct programming language that can accomplish the desired UI elements — JavaScript might be better suited than Python, for example.

Accessibility features are another important part of UI design as they help ensure people with disabilities or impairments can use your software. You’ll want your program to be parsable by screen readers, and try using colors suitable for people with color blindness. Even font size can be a concern for some.

Learn more about user interface design

This article provides a solid foundation, but if you want to learn more about UI design, the best way is by creating your own. If you’re looking to improve your UI design abilities, check out any of the courses below:

Web Design Courses & Tutorials | Codecademy

Web Design is essential to bringing a website to life and creating the experience that you want for your end users. The courses here will help you polish your HTML and CSS skills while learning about color design, navigation design, and more.

Ruby on Rails (or “Rails”) is an open-source web application development framework written in the Ruby programming language. It’s one of the most popular Ruby libraries and one of the top reasons developers choose to learn Ruby.

Modern web applications can be very complex with many layers. Rails makes web development easier, providing a pre-built structure for development and everything you need to build a web app.

In this article, we’ll look at what Rails is used for, its advantages and disadvantages, and what jobs you can get if you know this framework. Then, we’ll show you how to get started using it to build your own web apps.

What is Ruby on Rails used for?

We explained that Ruby on Rails is a web framework, but it helps to know what a web framework is to know just how powerful a tool like Rails can be.

A framework simplifies the creation of web applications. It does this by providing default structures for your code, any databases you use, and the web pages the application will serve.

You can think of a framework almost like Legos. With a framework, you get pre-built “Legos” of code that you can mix, match, and modify to build a custom web application, which means you don’t have to create everything from scratch.

Ruby on Rails uses the Model-View-Controller (MVC) architectural pattern used by many other web frameworks — one of the most well-known patterns in development. The MVC pattern separates a web application’s code into three interconnected parts:

• The Model, which holds the data structure of the application.
• The View, which represents the visual part of the web app as web page templates.
• The Controller, which connects the data to the View and contains the business logic of the application.

This pattern makes Rails very flexible and useful for all types of web applications.

Rails has been used for many types of web apps. You can use it to build complete web applications that span both the front end and the back end.

The Model and Controller would be considered the back-end part of the application. The View handles the front end by generating the actual web page that people see in the browser, along with included JavaScript and HTML. You can also use Rails to create web services or APIs that return JSON for use by other applications.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of Ruby on Rails?

The biggest advantage to Rails is that it makes web development quick and easy. This means a small team of developers can create a web app and deploy it quickly.

The Ruby programming language ecosystem also provides libraries that can extend the Rails framework with even more pre-built features. It’s been a top choice of frameworks for many startups because of these reasons.

Ruby on Rails is one of the best choices of frameworks if:

• You need to handle complex business logic
• You need to find developers to build an application readily and quickly
• You have a limited budget
• You want to deliver a web app quickly

Many companies that start with Rails stick with it. But, there are a few disadvantages that make some companies choose other technologies.

Ruby doesn’t support many machine learning libraries, so Python could be the better choice for applications that require that type of data processing. Rails also isn’t the fastest, but it isn’t much slower than other frameworks. Still, if you need an ultra-lightweight application, Rails may not be the best choice.

What jobs do you need to know Ruby on Rails for?

There are a variety of jobs you can get if you know Ruby on Rails.

A junior or entry-level Web Developer job may require that you know Rails. Some of these jobs may be back-end web development jobs where you’ll spend most of your time writing code with Rails. In any of these positions, your duties might include:

• Creating templates that generate web pages for the front end
• Writing web services that return JSON for JavaScript-based front-end applications
• Writing server-side code in Rails and front-end code using JavaScript, HTML, and CSS

Ruby on Rails is used in all types of industries to build web apps and services. This includes applications like marketing websites, CMSs, eCommerce sites, and custom web applications. It’s a popular web framework for startups because its ease of use makes for quick application development with small teams.

But, Rails has also been around for a while, so you’ll find it used in traditional companies as well. Some well-known companies that use Rails include Basecamp, Shopify, Airbnb, Crunchbase, Square, Soundcloud, Sendgrid, Pitchfork, Github, Yammer, ETC Slideshare, Scribd, Groupon, Hulu, Kickstarter, Zendesk, and Gumroad.

Getting started with Ruby on Rails

So, what do you think of Ruby on Rails? Want to check it out? If you have a Windows computer, the video below will walk you through the steps required to install Rails on your machine:

If you have a Mac OSX computer, then you can use this video:

If you’re using a Linux computer, you can install Ruby on Rails with these instructions from the official Rails site.

Ready to get started? Our Learn Ruby course will teach you basic programming concepts and the fundamentals of programming with Ruby. Then, jump into Rails with the courses below:

Ruby Courses & Tutorials | Codecademy

Ruby is a dynamic, general-purpose programming language most commonly used for Web Development. Its key designer, Yukihiro Matsumoto, said that Ruby was designed for humans, not machines, making it a favorite of many developers and tech companies. Its most popular implementation is with the powerful…

Web Development Courses & Tutorials | Codecademy

Web Development is the practice of developing websites and web apps that live on the internet. Whether you’re interested in front-end, back-end, or going full-stack, the content in our Web Development domain will help you get there.